Euschistus ictericus

Euschistus ictericus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Family:	Pentatomidae
Genus:	Euschistus
Species:	E. ictericus
Binomial name
Euschistus ictericus (Linnaeus, 1763)

Euschistus ictericus is a North American species of shield bug. It grows up to 12 mm (0.5 in) long, and lives in damp areas.

Distribution

In Canada, E. ictericus is restricted to Ontario and Quebec.^[1] In the United States, its distribution reaches as far south as Texas and Louisiana, and only as far west as Utah, despite previous reports that its range extended from coast to coast.^[2]

Description

E. ictericus grows to a length of 10.5–12 millimetres (0.41–0.47 in),^[2] and can be distinguished from other members of the "brown stink bug complex" by the lack of black spots in the middle of the ventral side of the abdomen, and by the presence of black rings around the spiracles on the abdomen.^[3]

Ecology

E. ictericus lives in damp situations, on Carex comosa, Iris versicolor, Nymphaea odorata, Saururus cernuus, willows, Carduus horridulum, Heracleum maximum, Cuscuta, Glycine max, Vicia faba, Verbascum thapsus, Juncus, Perillus frutescens, polygonum densiflorum and Persicaria punctata.^[2][4] It is attacked by Euthera tentatrix, Beskia aelops and Cylindromyia euchenor (Tachinidae) and by the eastern meadowlark, Sturnella magna.^[2] E. ictericus is not economically important as a pest.^[5]

References

External identifiers for Euschistus ictericus
ITIS	108853

1. ^ H. Eric L. Maw (2000). "Family Pentatomidae". Checklist of the hemiptera of Canada and Alaska. Monographs – Entomology. NRC Research Press. pp. 145–149. ISBN 9780660181653. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7S_255PFmKYC. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} John Edwin McPherson (1982). The Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera) of northeastern North America with emphasis on the fauna of Illinois. Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 9780809310401. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HQgV3RbRK8kC. 
3. ^ Jesus F. Esquivel, Roger M. Anderson & Robert E. Droleskey (2009). "A visual guide for identification of Euschistus spp. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Central Texas" (PDF). Southwestern Entomologist 34 (4): 485–488. doi:10.3958/059.034.0412. http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.3958/059.034.0412. 
4. ^ David A. Rider (October 28, 2009). "Euschistus ictericus (Linnaeus)". Plant Host Records: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae. North Dakota State University. https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~rider/Pentatomoidea/Hosts/plant_Pent_Pentatominae.htm. Retrieved June 18, 2010. 
5. ^ John Edwin McPherson & R. M. McPherson (2000). "Eischistus spp.". Stink bugs of economic importance in America north of Mexico. CRC Press. pp. 101–126. ISBN 9780849300714. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=sPoMyfDh5sYC.